There is known a method of knitting the heel of a hosiery article in a circular warp-knitting machine.
In accordance with the said known method the heel of a hosiery article is knitted from two systems of warp threads guided by two thread guide systems being moved both along the front presented by the knitting needles and intermediate these needles. Such method including knitting main loop rows or courses and also knitting therebetween additional loop rows or courses which are shorter than the main ones and are knitted from some of the warp threads of both systems, by disengaging some of the knitting needles along a portion of the circumference of the needle cylinder.
However, when the heel of a hosiery article is knitted in a circular warp-knitting machine by this method, the heel lacks a strengthened loop structure that can be attained in weft-knitting machines. The heel of the warp-knitted article produced by this method wears out sooner than the sole bottom portion thereof. Furthermore, the three-dimensional shape of the heel of a hosiery article knitted by this method is not altogether adequate.